Vision

We have always thought about finishing out the rest of our attic space to create a master suite upstairs. We thought we'd try to put a full bath up there as well, since the house only has one bathroom. When we started talking about the possibility of moving, the excitement of the master suite idea faded a bit, and we were left a bit confused (and in minor disagreement) as to what the best plan would be for the house.

(We have done a lot of work on our house, of which I am rather proud, and am hoping to post some pics soon of some of the befores and afters... as soon as I can locate those pictures.)

We asked a realtor to come over to the house and give us some ideas about what we should (or should not) do to the house to give it an edge when it came time to sell. We had nearly nixed the full bath idea, as a half bath would be much more feasible in the limited space in the attic, and had convinced ourselves that if we finished out the basement (which is about half done), that would be the best plan. Thank God for good realtors.

Sparing you all the details, she suggested gutting the entire attic, tearing down the walls, and creating the master suite in the resulting larger space. A full bath would also be more desirable. The biggest complaint from those moving from apartment rentals into the house ownership is that most older home have no master suites. She also said our basement was a huge bonus, but we really didn't need to do much more to it.

We have moved our bedroom to the basement with a nice view of our washer and dryer, and have the advantage of hearing Finley and Joe whenever they step out of bed right over our heads. It is a longer walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but that is a small inconvenience for a pregnant woman, compared to the dishwashing I did in the bathtub when I was eight months pregnant with Finley and we were renovating the kitchen.

It almost seems a ridiculous to put this much work into a house, only to move out and start over. We figure we'll get at least six months of enjoyment out of the master suite once it is finished before we might put the house on the market. But do you know what makes it all worth while? We have this crazy notion that we might just make enough money off this place to buy a livable place on a few acres outright... and have NO MORTGAGE!

Perhaps I have listened to Dave Ramsey too much. But just watching the people around me, I can see the truth in the verse, "The borrower is slave to the lender." [For example, I know some one working a job he does not enjoy to pay the mortgage on the family home. All of the jobs he would really enjoy wouldn't pay quite as much, and he I think he feels a bit enslaved.] I could also dive into the realm of means vs. lifestyles and what our expectations are these days in America, but I won't. All I can think of is what it would mean for us to not owe anybody anything.